Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-04-01

session a record. The sboys" had often spoken
during the winter of the scenes expected to ne
witnessed ION the last night of the session"
aud stunning back the clock" was always men
toned as the one thing above all others that
covered q dying Legislature with glory, The
clock in the Council Chamber was turned back
amid cheers, but tho House, not bcing pos
sessed of the luxury of a clock, had to share
Business having been closed up practically,
at al early hour, the members OF both branches
let themselves loose in having "a good time
The Council turned itself into q gee club II
songs were sung with gusto and applause.
sMarchmg Through Georgia" was the first
Browns Body etc, italy Round the Flag"
and other patriotic songs. After this a love
feast and experience meeting was inauSurated.
Each told in his turn how dearly he loved his
fellow members, how greatly he admired their
candor, honesty and ability; never. or hardly
by telling how faithful and honest he had been
himself. After the many sharp passes, cut
ting retorts and charges made upon each other
during the session, it was amusing to hear
them now declare they, never harbored an I'M
kind thought of a brother member. MI.
Matthews, President of the Council, was made
the subject of akind resolution, and OF motion,
of his removal from the chair. was presented
with the "gavel" he had used during the ses-
sion, 80 well and impartially. He in return
Spoke HIS lltllo pltCc. dSSuI1uS l1lCllI uuCJ la
been excellent and well-bchaved boys: This
remark. he gave to understand, included Coun-
Gilman Cain, with whom in the morning he had
had such a fierce and ticryd ue on parliament-
ary practice.
Scenes very similar marked tho closing hours
of the House, only that the matter IN that
branch was carried to a point beyond the dig
nifty of a law-making body: Auditor Caldwell,
during q recess, was installed i'll the CHAIR, "
andfor an hour entertained all manner of
bogus motions and burlesque resolutions. The
adorned a tale" This It may be seen The
closing hours of the session were marked by a
hilarity and decorum that could only prevail
in q new country.
The morning session of the last day was
and the dignitied Council was its theatre.
When the bill to discharge the Capitol Com
mission and have the Territory assume pay
ment of the $55,U00 outstanding warrants is
sued under it was called up for final passage,
Councilmen Cain and Erickson became terri
bly, excited. The former lost control of his
usually excellent temper and joined in u tilt
with President Mathews, that for q time
threatened the peace of the Chamber. Mem
bers on both sides became likewise excited,
the sounds Of the gayel were drowned amid q
Babel Of voices, and arms wildly gcesticulating
sawed the air i'll tolerably fine pieces. The
Sergeant-at-Arms had q posse ready to restore
order, but quiet was finally restored without
their aid. The fact was demonstrated to all
that the Council had succeeded in raising
Cain" AMI when raised it was pretty consid-
cradle of o crop.
In Judging Of the character of the body it is
due it to say that with the exception of a ten
dency of lavish expenditures, it was a most
worthy, decorus and respectable body of men.
Certainly Dakota never i'll its history had a
more intelligent OF decorous assembly, or one
that manifested fewer exhibitions OF party
spirit of sectional hate. The members of the
north, being the minority, naturally nantes
more jealousy than the powerful majority of
the south, and yet, on the other hand, the
south several times exhibited n tendency to
taunt the north with actions for which pre-
vious assemblies are responsible, but no mat
ter what mems views may be on the expedi-
ency Of Territorial division, the heretofore
used argument that sthe north and south can
not work harmoniously together as one state
is exploded.
The work Of the session has been varied.
Out of the two hundred bills passed and signed
by the Governor many are Of an important
character. The executive use of the veto
power has been, on the whole, judiciously and
resort, arbitrary and lible to abuse as 1t may
seem, sthe people Of Dakota, :" to use the Ian.
guage of Councilman Wells, in supporting the
executive .prerogative, "would, in less than te.
years, be hopelessly bankrupt" His veto oil
must commend itself to all taxpayers
The creation of SO many public institutions il
promoted to boom the various towns favored
by their location, and the Governor refused t
give his sanction to such o rcprehensiblt
method of advancing local interests. Natur.
ally this free use Of the gubernatorial license
subjected his excellency to many nncompli
mentary remarks, but the fact that not one O.
the vetoed appropriations commanded a ma
jority vote on return to the Council indicates
pretty Clearly the best private judgment OF tin
members approved his actions.
The Governor has been less or more thu
subject of criticism. This was to be expected
but upon the whole his appointment may b,
regarded as satisfactory. His withdrawal O
Maj: Edwards name, after having sent it t.
the Council, placed him in a position his op
posers freely used to his disadvantage. I
certainly was a serious mistake, Which eve
horn OF tho dilemma is taken. Either his ap
pointment should not have been made, OF onct
made should not have been withdrawn. Mr.
Edwards has many friends in the north, wht
are likely to resent the action strongly. Th,
Governor manifests q strong desire to act TO
the pubic good. That ne will err at times i
us certain as that human nature. is imperfect
The printing fraternity have, on the whole
gained nothing by the legislation of the ses
and the only. corresponding benefit is tina
three papers i'll each county shall have pa,
for printing proceedings of The County Com
missioner, at the rate of 25 cents per square
and the wretched compensation of SIS pc
hundred for supplements containing the ses
sion laws. Tie average circulation of a Da
kota weekly, newspaper is stated to be 40
copies, which will give $50 to each paper il
the Territory, and cost the Territory abou
5000 in all.
In opposing this appropriation Councilma,
Erickson said she for one did not wish for til
acts Of the Assembly to go into the hands q
the people: The more they learned Of who
had been done the loss likely would be thei
chances for return two years hence" Thi
singular reason was given in all sincerity
The printing fraternity deserve to feel kind1
toward Councilman Cain, who stood by Tier
in the thickest of the fight.
In the creation of new off that of Oil In
spector alone failed to run the gauntlet q
both Houses. The costs of a State Veterinar
come not out Of the public treasury, but a
the expenses of that measure are to be paid b
q special tax levied on stock. This reduce
the act to a species of special insurance, ia
which the class insured must pay. This fca